Spatial and temporal hydrochemical changes in groundwater under the contaminating effects of fertilizers and wastewater

Contamination of well water in a rural area and of spring water in an urban area by effect of animal slurry management and storage practices, and the municipal water supply network were studied. For this purpose, a number of factors including electrical conductivity, dry residue, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, organic matter, turbidity, colour, iron, manganese, copper and zinc were examined. Data were subjected to multivariate principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The statistical interpretation of the results allowed two principal factors (F1and F2) to be assigned to saline and organometallic contamination, respectively, of the water. The axes of the plots of factor loadings represent the overall water concentration-dilution effect (F1) and oxidoreduction (F2), respectively. The spatial distribution of the samples is dictated by the prevailing type of contamination. In temporal terms, however, samples cluster by date in urban springs and by contamination type in rural wells.